The Anticipatory Grief Scale (AGS) is a tool used to measure the level of grief experienced by someone who is expecting to lose a loved one, often due to a terminal illness or other life-threatening situation. It was developed in 1991 by Susan K. Theut and colleagues and is one of the most widely used instruments for this purpose.
Here's some key information about the AGS:
- Structure: It consists of 27 items that are answered on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
- Scoring: The items are summed to provide a total score, with higher scores indicating a higher level of anticipatory grief. Eight items have positive wording and need to be reversed before scoring.
- Domains: The AGS covers various aspects of anticipatory grief, including emotional reactions (e.g., sadness, anger), cognitive experiences (e.g., preoccupation with loss, guilt), behavioral changes (e.g., social withdrawal, changes in sleep patterns), and physical symptoms (e.g., fatigue, loss of appetite).
- Uses: The AGS can be used for various purposes, such as:
- Assessing the need for grief support and intervention.
- Monitoring the course of anticipatory grief over time.
- Evaluating the effectiveness of grief interventions.
- Researching anticipatory grief.
- The AGS is not a diagnostic tool and cannot be used to diagnose any mental health condition.
- It is important to interpret the AGS score in the context of the individual's situation and other factors that may be influencing their experience.
- The AGS should not be administered by someone who is not trained in grief and loss.
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